Chapter 15 (RIKU): Lightning Farron

Chapter 15 (Riku): Lightning Farron

        Riku followed his friends on the ground, taking out the Heartless that hindered his progress towards catching them.  By the time he reached the shores of Thebes, he noticed their figures vanishing towards the island.  Riku shook his head.  "I'll never catch them like this!" he exclaimed.  But as he was about to summon his armor, a loud scream caught his attention.  A beautiful red headed woman was being chased by hordes of Heartless.  Riku spun around and lunged at the enemies, standing in front of the woman.  "Stay back."

        "You don't have to tell me twice" the woman replied, a hint of snarky attitude in her voice.  She stepped behind Riku as he went to action.  

Defeat All of the Heartless While Protecting The Woman!

GET BONUS:

Riku: +5 HP

        As Riku dispatched the last Heartless, he turned to the woman.  "Are you alright?"

        "I'll live, if that's what you mean.  Thank you...um..."

        "Riku" the warrior replied.  

        "You look like a friend of Wonder Boy's" the woman replied.  "And any friend of his is a friend of mine.  My name is Megara, but everyone calls me Meg."  

        "Well, I'm friends with Hercules through Sora" Riku explained.  "I was actually on my way to find them.  With all of the chaos on Mount Olympus, I'm kind of surprised Hercules isn't here stopping it."  

         Meg sighed.  "Wonder Boy went to that island a few days ago.  His father told him that it was the perfect place for him to keep in shape.  I wanted to go with him, but he said it was too dangerous."

        "Why don't you go now?" Riku asked.  Meg pointed towards the water.  Riku looked and gasped.  Countless whirlpools and thrashing waves made sea based travel towards the island impossible.  "I see.  I'd fly you over there, but it may be too dangerous."

        "If Sora is over there" Meg grinned, "then I don't think we need to worry about Wonder Boy getting into this fight.  Holding down the fort until he does, however, is another story.  Hades and the Titans are already running amok over by the mountain.  And then there's that creepy guy that's with the blowhard.  Plus the Heartless."  Meg looked towards the peak of Thebes, where the mighty Olympus Coliseum had once stood.  "And Hercules worked so hard to fix this place after the last time..."

        "Has the Coliseum been shut down?"

        "Trashed and shut down" Meg sighed.  "If there's one person who got under Hades skin more than Wonder Boy, it was Sora.  He didn't want Sora coming here and ruining his plans.  So, he made the Coliseum his first target."  

        "If it's gonna take time for Hercules and my friends to get back" Riku offered, "why don't I take care of some of that collateral damage Hades has been causing?"

       "If you want to" Meg coolly replied, "then by all means, we could use your help, Riku."  Meg looked over towards the ruins of the famed Olympus Coliseum once more.  "We should start by the Coliseum.  I think some of Hades little imps might still be causing trouble up there."  

       "Then let's go!" Riku proclaimed.  He and Meg then began making the trek towards the ruins of the Coliseum.  

        The once mighty Olympus Coliseum had been razed to the ground thanks to Hades and his allies.  The statues and banners that once hung all over were shattered, torn, and thrown about the dusty ruins as though they had meant absolutely nothing to anyone beforehand.  Meg shook her head at all of the needless destruction.  "I honestly don't know why Hades would do something like this" she sighed mournfully.  "Does he not even care about the lives he ruined?"

        "I wouldn't expect anything less of a coward like him" Riku answered bluntly.  "People like him always go to hurt anyone who's weaker than them."  

        "And people like us tend to call it, 'Survival of the Fittest'" a menacing voice echoed throughout the ruins.  Hades appeared in front of Riku and Meg, a sly look on his face.  "Really?  You're still alive, kid?  This is what I get for subcontracting..."

        "Hades!" Riku snapped, his Keyblade flying into his hands.  "Why are you doing this?"

        "Mind your manners, Riku" the god laughed.  "Did you remember nothing of what Maleficent taught you?"

        "I'd like to forget that part of my life!" Riku replied coldly.  

        "Stop doing this Hades!" Meg pleaded.  "There's no reason to harm the people when all you're after is the Gods on Olympus."

        "Oh, my little Nutmeg" Hades feigned sympathy.  "Aren't we forgetting something?  Does Chump-cules fight monsters to protect the Gods?  No, he fights to protect people.  He was raised by people.  He cares about people.  And that is his great weakness.  His ability to care.  Even about you, his little girlfriend!"

        Riku stepped in front of Meg.  "Don't come any closer, Hades!"

        "Come on, Riku.  Do you honestly think I would dirty my own hands with something like that?"  Hades sly look turned into a menacing smile.  "I leave that to a very special pet of mine!"  Hades snapped his fingers.  From the ruins of the Coliseum, lunged one of Hades favorite weapons: the three headed dog and guardian of The Underworld, Cerberus!  Riku prepared to defend himself and Meg, but failed to notice Hades grab Meg's arm.  "I'll be taking the girl to go!"  Before Riku could react, Hades took Meg prisoner and vanished into the darkness.  

         "NO!" Riku yelled, but he was forced back into action by the lunging monster.  Cerberus roared and rampaged around the ruins.  Riku aimed his Keyblade at the demonic dog and sprinted into action.  

Boss Battle: Cerberus Part I

HP: 720

Battle Music: Tension Rising

Note: Survive for 120 seconds!

        As Cerberus roared and slammed his paws on the ground, Riku fell to his knee.  "This thing is vicious.  How the heck did Sora manage to take this thing down?  I don't think I can keep this up..."

        Cerberus dashed towards Riku for the kill, but was blasted away by a powerful beam of energy.  Suddenly, Riku felt himself being restored to full strength.  He jumped back up and found a mysterious woman standing beside him.  She wore a pale peach colored blazer and a brown skirt.  In her hands was a sword that looked as if it had been combined with a gun.  She put a hand on Riku's shoulder as he rose beside her.  "You should go for cover.  I can handle something like this."  

        Riku shook his head.  "No way!  You may need help."

        "Not from you" she replied coldly.  "Cerberus has been powered up by the darkness.  And not the kind of darkness Hades uses.  Now go!"  

        When Riku refused to budge, the woman took a deep breath and aimed her weapon at the monster.  "Then don't say I didn't warn you!"  Riku stood beside the woman as Cerberus prepared another attack.  

New Party Member: Lightning Farron

HP: 50

MP:110

Friendship: 60

Weapon: 

Blazefire Saber (STR +4, MAG +3)

Armor: 

Guardian's Armor (STR +1, DEF +4)

Accessories: 

Legion of One (MAG +3, AP +2)

Items: 

x3 Potions

x2 Ethers 

Abilities:

Army of One: Launch a ferocious assault on a group of enemies or a 

singular enemy (Costs 10 MP)

Zanetsuken: Obliterate a weakened enemy with one swift attack or 

a boss by one Health Bar (Costs 50 MP)

Fury of the Gods: Unleash a powerful Thunder based attack (Costs 10 MP)

Unity Force: Unleash Riku and Lightning's joint limit, 

Chaos Blades (Consumes All of Riku's MP)

Serah's Hope: Restore the HP of yourself or an Ally (Cost 99 MP)

Berserk: Boosts the Strength of the Wielder when HP is low

Item Boost: Boost the potency of healing items in the field

Second Chance: Ensures 1 HP remains after taking intense damage

Once More: Ensures 1 HP remains after taking damage from a combo

Lucky Strike: Increases the Drop Rate of Items

Boss Battle: Cerberus Part II

HP: 720

Battle Music: Vim and Vigor

GET BONUS:

Riku Learned Aerial Flash

Lightning: +20 Friendship

+30 HP

        Cerberus bucked one last time before collapsing into it's own darkness.  As the intense demonic force of evil vanished, Riku and Lightning addressed each other once more.  "Wow, that was incredible" Riku exclaimed.  

        Lightning did not react at first, but studied Riku.  "Well, thank you.  Your skills are also impressive.  However, I don't think you should be fighting the kind of darkness that is in this world.  Even wielding the Keyblade, you may still be outclassed."

       So she knows about the Keyblade too, Riku thought to himself.  "Then you must be Lightning."

      "I've been called that before" the woman replied, but she remained focused on Riku.  "But how do you know to call me that?"

      "There's a man in this world looking for you" Riku explained.  "After I was warned to stay away from him, I knew better to battle him.  But he was looking for you.  And he had Hades helping him."  

      Lightning lowered her head.  "So, you've finally shown yourself, Caius" she said softly.  She returned her focus on Riku.  "You shouldn't be here.  You should go home, while you still can.  Because if you thought the battle on Olympus was bad, that's nothing compared to what might happen down here in the city."

      "I can't" Riku argued.  "Hades has kidnapped my friend.  I have to find her."  A shadow passed over Riku's head.  He looked up and saw a winged horse flying over the Coliseum.  As the white stallion landed beside Riku and Lightning, a tall, well built and handsome man jumped off of the horse and looked over the situation.  

      "They weren't kidding when they said the situation here was bad" he said remorsefully.  He then looked at Riku and Lightning.  "I take it you two defeated Cerberus?"

       Lightning remained silent, causing Riku to nod for the both of them.  "He was given some kind of power even Hades didn't have."

       The man sighed in relief.  "Well, I'm glad something is going right for us."

       "But he kidnapped, Meg" Riku answered plainly, finally realizing that the man in front of him was Hercules.  

       Hercules gasped.  "What?  Where did they go?"

      Lightning pointed towards Mount Olympus.  "Hades returned to his throne.  The Gods have all but surrendered to the Titans at this point."

       "Then there's no time to lose" Hercules proclaimed, hopping back onto his steed.  "Thanks for holding the fort down for me.  I'll be sure to tell my father about your brave actions for Thebes."  

       "Wait!" Riku shouted.  "Are Sora and Kairi with you?" 

       Hercules shook his head.  "They're completing their training with Phil back on the Island.  I was on my way back to pick them up, actually.  Why?"

       "Just let them know Riku was asking for them" Riku replied, content that his friends made it to the island safe and sound.  "And to watch out for him."

       "Can do" Hercules agreed.  "Let's go Pegasus!"  The mighty winged stallion reared back and soared back into the sky.  

        Riku and Lightning watched him vanish into the clouds above, before either of them spoke again.  Lightning looked back towards the city.  "If you're hiding down their, Caius, I will make you pay for all that you've done!"  Lightning prepared to go back down into the city, but Riku grabbed her arm.  

       "If Caius is as powerful as you say he is, I can't let you go alone" Riku replied.  

       Lightning shook her head.  "No.  This is not your battle.  I don't want anyone else getting hurt on my account."

       "You saw how well we handled Cerberus" Riku protested.  

       Lightning cracked a faint smile as she removed Riku's hand from her arm.  "I admire your bravery, Riku.  But this is one battle I can't have anyone else fight in.  Caius has a power you could only dream about.  He would not hesitate to kill you.  And someone of your bravery should not be killed by someone as cruel and malicious as him." 

        "I'm not going to let you fight this battle alone!"

        Lightning saw fit to protest more, before the ground underneath them began to quake.  "We don't have time for this!  If you're going to insist on coming, then I need you to stay close."  Riku nodded and the duo sprinted back down towards the city.  

        Caius stood on the same balcony as he and Hades had before, as the skies darkened over Thebes and Mount Olympus.  But this time, he was not standing with Hades, but another man altogether.  The man sported a gray beard and a black over coat that revealed a white robe underneath.  His eyes were the color of open flame.  

        "The more I learn of the Keyblade's power" Caius spoke thoughtfully, "the more intriguing it gets.  How does one obtain such a power?"

        "It must be passed down to you from another" the man answered with a hoarse voice.  "Riku received his Keyblade when a feckless youth bestowed it upon him when he was just a lad.  And I cannot be certain if he is truly capable of bestowing it on another at this time, Caius."

        "A pity the power of the Keyblade must be wasted on someone so...inconsequential" Caius replied.  

        "Riku was once a capable warrior" the bearded man continued.  "But now, he has been tainted by the light in the hearts of those he calls friends.  I have been forced to relocate my ambitions.  And that is why I am here today."

        "You wish to see if I am capable of wielding a Keyblade, Master Xehanort?"

        "You will see in time" Xehanort replied distantly.  His eyes looked towards the figures flying past Thebes to wage war with the Titans on Olympus.  "For the darkness is patient in it's desire to absorb.  Today, I shall see if either of my unknowing pupils is ready to take on the task of becoming a Seeker of Darkness.  All but one of the seats has been filled.  And soon, the prize I seek will be in my grasp.  Soon, yes.  The X-blade will be forged and the gates to Kingdom Hearts unlocked!"  

       

Chapter 14 (RIKU): The Wrath of the Titans

Chapter 14 (Riku): The Wrath of the Titans

        Riku, Donald, and Goofy emerged from their portal victorious.  With their adventures in New Orleans over, they expected King Mickey to be there to tell them of their next mission.  But when they found no one to meet them, Donald and Goofy sighed.  "Ya think we'd be used to the King not being here" Goofy said.  

       "I'm sure he's off making sure the park stays safe" Riku reminded his friend.  "If you guys are so worried about him, you should go and report to him.  He's probably in the castle somewhere."  

       "But what about you?" Donald asked. 

       "I'll be fine.  There are a lot more worlds for me to discover and keep safe."  

       "Good luck, Riku" Goofy added, before he and Donald dashed off towards Fantasy Land.  

       As soon as they rounded the corner, Riku felt the ground beneath him shaking violently.  "Ah!?  An earthquake?"  Riku swirled around him, looking for the source of the dangerous rumbling.  As he looked back, a huge cloud of dust and debris erupted near Adventure Land.  Following the dust filled clouds was the aura of the darkness.  "The Heartless?  How'd they get here?"  Riku called forth his Keyblade and dashed off into the distance towards the brimming power.  

       As Riku arrived in Adventure Land, he could barely see past his own eyes, with debris and smoke clogging his view of anything.  He could hear monstrous growls and the ground continued to shake every few seconds.  Riku called forth his armor and continued running towards the new danger inflicting Disneyland.  As the dust finally began to settle, Riku looked towards the source of the dust and debris.  A huge mountain had burst out in Adventure Land, causing intense damage to previously existing areas, including one of the temples near the Wild Jungle.  

      "What is this?" Riku asked, disabling his armor.  "This wasn't here before.  How did it get here?"

      "Dash it all!" a voice coughed near the mountain.  "If this confounded mountain entrance hadn't collapsed in, we wouldn't be having this dust problem!"  

      Riku rushed towards the mountain, only to find Merlin using powerful wind currents to shoot the dust into the air.  "Merlin?"

      "Well, well, Riku" the wizard greeted.  "You are just the man I was looking for."  

      "I was?"

      "Of course.  Can't have world entrances and exits collapsing before we open Disneyland, now can we?"  Merlin turned to greet Riku personally.  The wizard summoned a comb from thin air to comb the dust and sand out of his long white beard.  "Especially ones where we have friends stationed.  No, cannot let that happen."  

      "We have friends in here?" Riku asked, looking up at the mountain, who's peak vanished was so far high, it vanished into the clouds above the park.  

      "As a matter of fact" Merlin replied, waving the last bit of sand out of his way, "we have two.  Apparently, the King got word of a potential catastrophe occurring near this particular world.  But, Mr. Disney never sanctioned a ride for this world.  So, I was forced to summon this mountain out of thin air, in the hopes that it could lead to the new world.  However, as soon as Sora and Kairi entered that world--"

      Riku gasped.  "Sora and Kairi are in there?"

      "As soon as Sora and Kairi entered the world, the gate collapsed and now, the two have no idea how serious their predicament is."  

      "What do you mean?"

      "When Mr. Disney sanctions a ride, it has been inspected and cared for by himself, King Mickey, Master Yen Sid, and myself.  But the situation has become so dire in this world, that Sora and Kairi were sent there right away.  Why the sanction is so important you may ask?  Well, without the sanction, we not only cannot guarantee a safe passage for the two to return, but we also cannot contain the amount of Heartless and Xehanort's cronies that can go to that world."  

      "Then I have to go in after them!" Riku proclaimed.  

      "Hold a moment, Riku" Merlin cautioned.  "There are more dangers in this world than Xehanort and the Heartless.  Tell me, are you familiar with the Lord of the Underworld, Hades?"

       Riku grunted quietly.  From his time serving under Maleficent, he remembered all too well the Lord of the Dead.  Of all of the villains he had met, from Captain Hook to Jafar, Hades was the one he could stand the least.  The god was full of himself, stubborn, insubordinate, and often mocked his allies for their failings.  Even when he himself had failed to eliminate Sora or Hercules on multiple occasions, he still looked at himself as superior.  "Yeah, I remember him.  What about him?"

       "Hades has unleashed an ancient enemy upon his fellow gods at Mount Olympus.  Not only that, but he has another ally who is just as dangerous as he is.  This man is incredibly dangerous, Riku.  Avoid this man at every opportunity.  His name is Caius.  Understand?"

        Riku nodded.  "Sure.  Take down Hades, avoid Caius."

        "I am quite certain Hades is not the only one eyeing Caius as a potential ally.  Caius's dark powers are so great, he once caused a great world to be destroyed.  Even the heroes who once battled with him have been lost.  Power like Caius's unchecked could devastate not just Mount Olympus, but every world along with it, should he join forces with Xehanort."  

        "Then, what can I do?" Riku asked. 

        Merlin sighed.  "I cannot be certain, my boy.  If you are going to go in after them, I implore you to be careful.  And if you can manage to reach them, do pass this message along to Sora.  The boy can be a bit reckless when it comes to protecting his friends."  

        Riku nodded.  "I'll be careful.  Is the path ahead?"  Riku looked down towards the mountain path.  The ruins of Grecian temples and acropolis buildings lined the foot of the mountain.  A dark gateway towards what Riku could only assume was the Underworld, Hades base of operations.  

        "Yes.  Just follow the path and you'll arrive in no time" Merlin replied.  "I will inform the King of your location.  Do try to be careful."  Riku nodded in agreement and raced down the path, stopping before the entrance to the mountain.  

         If Sora and Kairi are here, Riku thought to himself, I'd bet Xehanort is somewhere here too...

        The massive village of Thebes sat below Mount Olympus.  Usually, the streets were filled with people shopping, entertaining, recreating, or flocking to the massive Coliseum to see their hero, the legendary demi-god Hercules battle warriors and monsters.  But today, the citizens hid in their houses or fled the city.  For the Heartless have returned.  As has the devilish Hades, Lord of the Underworld, who leads the forces of darkness in an all out war against Zeus and the Gods that sit atop Mount Olympus.  Massive armies of Heartless marched the streets and prepared to assault the haven of the Gods.  Already assaulting the mountain, were Hades more than eager allies, the Titans, whom Hades had resurrected to fight the Gods and his greatest enemy, Hercules, in pitched battle to rightfully rule all of Olympus.

       From a balcony above, the blue-skinned, flame haired Lord of the Dead himself stood side by side with a hooded figure clad in black and purple armor.  While Hades laughed and cheered as his minions lay waste to the village below, the hooded figure remained silent, only scoffing at his partner's childish delight.  

      "Ya know, had I thought our victory would be this nice, I would have brought some champagne" Hades remarked.  "No Zeus, no Jerkules, no spiky haired Keyblade swinging brats, and nothing strong enough to defeat me!  This time--" Hades hair erupted red with his intense delight.  "--NOTHING CAN STOP ME!"  

      The hooded figure remained silently observing the creatures marching below.  When Hades noticed his less than enthused look, he put his hand on the figure's shoulders.  "Sheesh, if I wanted your kind of company, I'd have brought a ghost."  

       "Your victories are not yet set, Hades" the hooded figure replied coldly.  "So long as a single threat remains to hinder your success, you may still lose.  I assumed this is why you sought me out."
       "I call it a contingency plan" the god replied coolly.  "The last two blew up in my face.  But I wasn't looking in the right spots for my new ally.  You, Caius my man, are my ultimate contingency plan.  There's no way Wonder-Breath or any of his friends can stop me.  And considering your knowledge in darkness, there's no way that key-slinging punk will show up and stop me!"
       The hooded figure named Caius looked away for a moment.  "I sense a great power approaching Mount Olympus.  Perhaps it is Hercules?"
       Hades looked out into the distant streets of Thebes.  An armored figure emerged from a portal of light.  The figure removed his armor and called forth a Keyblade.  Hades recognized him from his long white hair.  "Hold a minute.  This may just get interesting.  Tell me, Caius, how would you like to get a taste of some of the universe's unlimited power?"
      "Does this have anything to do with what I am seeking?"
      "If you're still hunting that girl, then no.  But if you want to harness some more power for that epic fight along the road, then boy do I have a treat for you."
      Caius grinned underneath his hood.  "I am listening."
      "Turns out that there's someone else with the power to wield the Keyblade.  And he just waltzed his way into Thebes, undoubtedly to try and stop my hostile takeover of Olympus.  Without the viewpoint and clairvoyance of the Gods, how can you or I expect to find this girl you keep prattling on about?"
      "Prattling?" Caius snarled.  "I'll have you know she is perhaps more powerful than this Hercules you keep whining about!"
      "Sheesh" Hades chortled.  "Didn't mean to step on your toes, pal.  Anyway, if this kid becomes a thorn in our side, I'm thinking we won't be able to complete our scheme.  Don't you think that you should do something to stop it?"
       "Why don't you?"
       "I have those nimrods to look after" Hades reasoned, pointing towards the Titans, who made their way upwards towards the resting place of the Gods of the Pantheon.  "Besides, I thought you'd want to seek out the girl.  Maybe he's seen her.  Or maybe, he's close to her."
        Caius showed an icy smile to the god.  "Perhaps I should test his skills for myself."  Caius turned and walked away from Hades, his eyes focused on Riku in the distance.

       Riku surveyed the area around the deserted city of Thebes.  There wasn't a soul to be seen.  No people, no satyrs, and certainly none of this friends.  "Sora and Kairi can't be far from here.  They must be where all the action is."  Riku looked past the city and towards the towering mountain home of the gods.  Four massive monsters were already battling their way to the top of the mountain.  "If they don't beat those things back soon, we may not be able to stop the Heartless from taking over the world!"  As soon as Riku finished speaking, he found himself surrounded by Heartless.  "Speaking of which..."

Defeat All of the Heartless!  

        As Riku dispatched the last of the Heartless, he heard a faint clapping sound behind him.  "I expected nothing less of the power of the Keyblade.  Well done, my boy."  Riku kept on guard at the arrival of this new person.  Covered in a thick black robe reminiscent of the robes Organization XIII wore, this figure had lavender colored hair with a tall feather sticking out of a headband he wore.  Riku could sense immense power coming from him, but remained on the defensive out of fear that this man could perhaps be the one Merlin warned him about.  "You needn't be on the defensive.  I do not seek a battle with you."  

       Riku kept his Keyblade in his hands.  "How do you know about the Keyblade?"

      "A source of unlimited power said to be lost in the generations" the man continued.  "There were once thousands of Keyblade Warriors.  All once sought a mystical power known as Kingdom Hearts.  But it was beyond their reach.  For none of them bothered to ever divulge through the pages of destiny.  The power of Kingdom Hearts is not something that any one man can wield.  Which is why many of the Keyblade Warriors died out long ago.  I am content to see the Keyblade in action once more.  And I am even more content with seeing it in the hands of one as young as you."  

      Riku's blade lowered slightly in his hands.  "You seem to know a lot about the Keyblade."  

      "When you have been around as long as I have" the man continued, "you know great power when you see it.  I remember a time when the worlds as we know them were once one great world.  And the Keyblade is the only thing that can possibly help bring back those time.  Such a power I find incredibly fascinating.  What is your name, boy?"

        "Riku" Riku replied.  "Yours?"

        "I am but a shadow in the history of the world" the man replied.  "I have come to Olympus in search of someone.  Many years ago, I was locked in combat with a powerful warrior who disappeared during our great battle in Valhalla.  Over the years, I have fought many beings, including those who wield your Keyblade.  I have beaten thousands of warriors in thousands of worlds.  But none have posed the same challenge to me as she did."

        "This legendary fighter was a woman?" 

        "More than just a woman, Riku.  She was the most powerful warrior I have ever faced.  She was ruthless and powerful.  I believed she may come here, because Olympus was said to be the world where heroes were made.  But, seeing as how you are here, that saying is not exactly true.  But, it would be unwise of me to not ask.  Have you seen a woman who calls herself, Lightning?"

         Riku shook his head.  "No, I haven't.  Have you seen two warriors just like me?  A young man and a young woman?"  

         The man remained stone faced.  "Would they be wearing armor by any chance?" 

         "Yes!" Riku exclaimed.  "Have you seen them?"

         The man pointed behind Riku.  The warrior turned to see two armored individuals riding odd vehicles towards the seas.  Their vehicles looked similar to Keyblades.  "They seem to be heading for an island off the coast of Thebes.  It is said that the hero Hercules is training on that island.  If they want to prevent Hades and his Titans from conquering Mount Olympus, they should hurry.  And if you want to find them beforehand, I suggest you do the same."  The man walked away from Riku and into a nearby alley, but not before turning back towards Riku.  "I hope our paths cross again, Riku.  Should you ever become stronger, you may make a formidable opponent."  With that, he vanished into the shadows.  

        Riku eyed the destination where Sora and Kairi flew towards.  "So, they're looking for Hercules huh?  Guess I am now too."  Riku darted down the road after his friends.  

Chapter 13 (RIKU): Dr. Facilier

Chapter 13 (Riku): Dr. Facilier

        Later that night at the ball, as everyone mixed and mingled with each other and danced to both classical waltz numbers and jumping jazz numbers.  Big Daddy sat to the side, talking both business and party with his guests.  Tiana served the delighted guests with her beignets, even sneaking a few to the La Bouff family dog.  Donald and Goofy danced along to the band, laughing as they did.  Riku stood watch over the party, trying his hardest to avoid the glance of the an ever exasperated Charlotte, who frantically flailed about as the evening drew later.
      "Oh dear.  It's getting awfully late.  Prince Naveen should have been here by now."  She finally eyed Riku standing alone and grabbed him by his collar.  "Where has Prince Naveen gone off to?  He was supposed to be here over an hour ago?"
      "I'm sure he's on his way" Riku reasoned, trying to pry the girl's vice-like grip on his collar.  "You know all the problems the city is having, Charlotte.  He will get here when he gets here."  As he finally got her grip off of him, he pointed out into the crowd.  "The party is still very lively.  Instead of wasting the party away, you should have fun down there."
      "Well, how come you're not down there?"
      "Simple.  I don't dance.  And so long as those two--" Riku answered, pointing towards his friends goofing off, "--spend their free time goofing off, someone has to make sure everything goes right for the party and keep the Heartless away."
      "Well, I guess I can mingle a bit--" Charlotte began, when the trumpets blasted out in the distance.  "What was that?"
      "Ladies and Gentlemen!  His Royal Highness, Prince Naveen!"
      Before Riku could even react, Charlotte was scurrying down the steps to meet her prince.  As she and Naveen respectfully bowed to one another, Charlotte pulled her prince close and the two began to the waltz Big Daddy had requested just for the occasion.  "Well, I guess she got what she wanted."  Riku looked around at the party and saw little to no commotion, as all had gathered to see the couple dance.  Riku looked to Donald and Goofy and gestured for them to depart.  "They don't need us here.  Here I thought we'd be running into problems."
      "RIKU!" Charlotte's voice shrieked.  Riku spun around to see a wave of Heartless encircle the couple.  The guests panicked and ran away from the couple.  Riku jumped off the balcony, Keyblade in hand and landed in front of the couple.  "What do those things want with us?"
      "Get to cover, both of you!" Riku demanded.
      "Come with me, my dear" the Prince called, leading the girl away from the battlefield.
       When he was certain Lottie and her Prince were safe, Riku noticed Donald and Goofy had appeared behind him.  "Let's go, guys!"

Defeat All of the Heartless!

        Before Riku and his friends could celebrate, a man emerged from the shadows.  "Bravo, boys.  I must say, the powers you have are quite impressive."

        "You must be Dr. Facilier!" Donald growled.  

        "Correct you are" the man grinned coldly.  "And I presume I am speaking to Riku, Donald Duck, and Goofy.  Yes, Pete told me all about you lot.  How you like to mess with his plans and stop the Heartless."  

        "Did he also tell you his losing streak to us?" Riku asked confidently.  

        "Yes, he said you were all thorns in his side.  But he also told me about how the power of the Heartless works.  How they can steal the hearts of any person they chose.  And the more strong hearts, the more strong the Heartless."  Facilier pointed his cane at the boys.  "Now then, why don't you boys scurry off to where you came from and let me and my Heartless have a little fun with all of these wayward party guests, eh?"

         Riku shook his head.  "Try again.  Maybe this time, you should start by leaving the party and not coming back."  

        Facilier sighed.  "Fine.  I guess I'll have to do this the hard way."  Facilier slammed his cane on the walkway, calling forth voodoo tiki idols to appear on the dance floor.  The three idols combined themselves and formed one large one, a large Heartless insignia on it's chest.  It's eyes flared with the powers of darkness.  Facilier grinned and stepped aside as his Heartless creation attacked.  

      Donald and Goofy stepped back in fear, but Riku rallied them.  "Keep strong guys!"  

Boss Battle: Triple Tiki Terror

HP: 810

Battle Theme: Desire For All That Is Lost

Get Bonus: Riku Learned Zero Gravity

+10 HP

Donald: +10 HP

+40 Friendship

Goofy: +5 HP

+30 Friendship

        The Heartless collapsed back into three separate statues and ultimately faded into the darkness.  As they did, Facilier simply snickered in the corner.  "Just as I expected.  Well done, Riku.  I placed my faith in the right person.  Now, I know just how to deal with the Keyblade wretches that plague my city!"  

       Riku aimed his Keyblade at Facilier.  "How about we settle this now, Facilier?  Before you go off and make threats you can't possibly keep."

       Facilier grinned before fading into the darkness.  "I have more important things to do than indulge you right now, my boy.  Maybe you should come back when you're stronger."  

       Riku glared at the now vacuous place where Facilier had stood and shook his head.  "We've got to follow him!  If he comes back--"
       "Not for nothing, my boy" Big Daddy laughed, "but I think y'all just plumb scared him off.  We won't need to worry much about the Shadow Man anymore.  Well done, boys.  The party was a complete success."
        The remaining guest applauded Riku and his friends for their actions.  With Charlotte wrapped around his arm, Prince Naveen addressed Riku.  "Congratulations, my boy."  Riku felt that his voice was perhaps too squeaky for a Prince, but he ignored it.  "I have seen my fair share of great actions and heroic deeds, but your exploits here would make those heroes feign in comparison."
        "Exactly, Riku" Charlotte gushed.  "If it weren't for you, I might never have met my Prince."
        "Well, I was glad to help" Riku responded plainly.
        "And so long as that Facilier guy is gone" Goofy added, "the Heartless shouldn't bother you too much no more."
        Riku put away his Keyblade and nodded.  "Then I guess everything is okay here.  Well, we'd better get going."
        "So soon?" Big Daddy asked.
        "The work of a hero is never done" Riku laughed.  "There are more places that need our help.  Just in case something happens, I'll have Donald and Goofy check in again.  I wouldn't want Facilier to come back."
         Donald and Goofy gladly saluted proudly.  "We'd be happy to come back!"
        "Thank you very much, boys.  And be sure to come on back anytime."
        As Riku and his friends departed from the party, Riku looked up towards the balcony and noticed Tiana looking up at a single star in the sky.  "Since Charlotte got her wish, I hope you get yours Tiana.  You've worked too hard to miss out on it."

Forged a D-Link with Donald Duck

Forged a D-Link with Goofy

Obtained the Gumbo Delight Keychain

STR: +3

MAG: +4

Ability:

Boost the power of Fire and Fire based Attacks

Chapter 12 (RIKU): Almost There

Chapter 12: Almost There

        When Riku noticed how crowded the diner was when he and the others entered, he expected not to have a seat.  But when she noticed the group enter, the young woman whom Riku had bumped into before rushed over to a table, bused it like the wind, and stood proudly before them.  "Good morning, Mr. La Bouff.  I got your favorite table."

        "And I thank you heartily, Tiana" La Bouff replied, sitting himself down in a chair that seemed fit for him.  "Can we get a couple of orders of those--"

        "Beignets?" Tiana replied.  Without waiting a second, Tiana dropped a plate of sugar coated baked goods in front of them.  "Had a fresh batch waiting just for you.  I'll have the cooks prepare you all some more."  Tiana prepared to leave, but Charlotte jumped for joy and rushed the waitress, hugging her tightly and spinning her around.  

        "Ti!  Did ya hear?  Prince Naveen of Maldonia is coming to New Orleans!"

        "A prince?  I guess you're finally gonna get your dream to come true" Tiana smiled, though Riku could see a trace of sorrow in her face.  "But how'd you convince him to come with all those creatures running around?"

        "You'd be surprised what Big Daddy can do, Ti!" Charlotte replied.  "Why, he's even hired these boys here as security.  They stopped those monsters in the square before."

        Goofy took one of the beignets off the plate and took a bite out of it.  As soon as he swallowed, he let out an excitable yelp.  "Oh boy!  Those are some yummy treats!"

        Donald and Riku followed in suit, both letting out quite giddy reactions.  "These really are good" Donald replied.  

       "Thank you" Tiana replied.  "If only these beignets could pay for a restaurant.  After all, the best way to get to a man's heart is through his stomach."  

       As soon as Tiana finished speaking, Charlotte reached into her father's suit and pulled out a wallet filled with cash.  She stuffed the contents into Tiana's surprised hands.  "You are a bona fide genius, Tiana!  I'm gonna need about 500 or so of those man-catching beignets for tonight's ball.  Will this cover it?"

        Tiana looked as though she were going to burst out into tears of joy.  "Yee--yes this should cover it just fine!"  Tiana rushed through the doors to the kitchen and did not re-emerge.  

        As Big Daddy finished eating the last beignet, he suddenly remembered his deal with Riku and his friends.  "Uh, Charlotte, baby.  Why don't you just wait outside for a minute, sweetie.  I forgot I promised these boys some information."  As Charlotte clutched a newspaper with Naveen's face to her chest and vanished out the doors, La Bouff gathered Riku, Donald and Goofy close to him.  

        "Now, we don't like to bring this up in public.  Mostly because we don't want no voodoo messing with the fair folk here in New Orleans."  Riku silently observed La Bouff while Donald and Goofy eyed each other in confusion.  Riku did not expect La Bouff to take this matter so seriously.  

        "Voodoo?" Riku asked quietly.

        "The very same.  Here in New Orleans, we have all kinds of tricksters and charlatans.  But none are more foul or benign than Dr. Facilier, or as we call him, The Shadow Man."

        "Facilier" Riku repeated cautiously.

        "For a long time, he kept to himself, using his power just to con people out of small trinkets and valuables.  But since these monsters showed up...well...we just think that Dr. Facilier is the one to blame for this.  There ain't nothing good that's ever come out of messing with voodoo.  Especially with his new partner running around like he owns the place."

         "New partner?" Riku asked.  

         "A pretty big fella" La Bouff added, "though I can't exactly judge.  Had a weird costume, like you boys have.  Those creatures answer his every command."

         "PETE!" the trio said in unison.  

         "Aw!" Donald shrieked.  "Why can't that big palooka just leave us alone?"

         "I guess he just doesn't know better."
         "You know him?" La Bouff asked.

         Riku nodded.  "He's been causing trouble in more places than here.  Once we take him down, so long as what you said isn't true, the Heartless should stop being a problem here."

         "Then I best let you guys get along with tracking the fiend down."  With that, La Bouff followed his daughter out of the diner.  

         "Wait!" Riku shouted, but it was too late.  "We don't even know where we're going."

         "How would we even know where to start looking for Pete?" Donald added.

         "I'm sure it can't be too hard to find him" Goofy reassured his friends.  

         "New Orleans is bigger than you'd think" a soft voice chimed in.  Tiana had re-emerged from the kitchen and stood behind the group.  "If you head down one wrong way, you may never come back.  I'm heading down town for some business.  If you'd like, you could come with me and look for--whatever it is you're looking for."
          "That'd be great!" Donald exclaimed.
          "Yeah, a-hyuck" Goofy agreed.  "Then maybe you can tell us how to make those yummy benny--uh--bettuh--no..."
          Tiana laughed softly.  "Beignets?"
         "Yeah, those things" Goofy sheepishly answered.
         Riku nodded.  "That sounds like a great idea.  My name is Riku.  This is Donald and Goofy."
         "Very nice to meet you boys" Tiana sweetly replied.  "My name is Tiana.  Well then, shall we?"  Tiana walked out the door to the cafe, with the boys following close behind her.

         When Riku and his friends saw the run-down condition Tiana's restaurant was to be located, they were shocked.  Donald and Goofy looked at each other in confusion as Tiana eyed the building with joy and exasperation.  The building was nothing special.  The windows had been shattered, the paint worn down, even the door was broken open.  From within the windows, you could easily see the piles of leftover junk and trash that had been stowed inside.
         "This is where you want to have your restaurant?" Riku asked half-heartedly.
         "Of course" she replied eagerly.  "I've been working on getting a restaurant for my whole life.  It was my dream...and my Dad's too."
         Riku studied Tiana as she began to imagine how the entrance to her restaurant would look like.  Somehow, no matter how shabby and broken down the building looked, she kept as positive an attitude as possible.  Her positive outlook reminded the Keyblade Master far too much of Sora.  "So, you've been keeping at this for your whole life?"
         Tiana nodded.  "My Daddy had a dream of opening the best restaurant in all of New Orleans.  We always had the right stuff: the drive, the passion, and the cooking skills.  We just never had the money to own a restaurant.  And when my Daddy died, all he left me was this dream to keep going.  And if I work real hard, each day, I know I'll make this work out for us!"
         Donald and Goofy nodded.  "That's the only attitude you can have" Donald replied.
         "If you hold on to what you believe in and never give up" Goofy added, "I just know you'll get your restaurant!"
         "Thanks, everyone" Tiana smiled.  "Come along inside.  And I'll show you everything."  Tiana walked inside, with Riku right behind her.  Donald and Goofy entered right afterwards.
       
           The inside of the building was just as bad as it had looked like outside.  Nevertheless, Tiana kept her upbeat attitude.  She grabbed a broom from a nearby table and began to sweep away the piles of dust throughout the main floor of the restaurant.  Riku summoned his Keyblade.  "Come on, guys!" he called to Donald and Goofy.  "We should help her out!"
           Donald and Goofy shouted in agreement and dashed after Riku.

Clean Up All of the Trash in the Building!

GET BONUS:

Riku Learned Reversal

Donald: +5 HP

Goofy: +5 HP

        Riku cleared the last piece of garbage up by the time Tiana had finished sweeping her last pile up.  She gasped at how much work the boys had done for her.  "You guys...you guys did all this for me?"

        "How could we not?" Riku asked.  "Hard work always deserves to be rewarded."

        "Thanks to you boys, this place will be ready to go in no time!" Tiana exclaimed.  "I just know that this place will be the perfect--"

        "The perfect place to mark your graves" a bombastic voice mocked.  Tiana and Riku looked up to the balcony above to see Pete standing above them, flanked by few Hook Bats.  He leaped down from the balcony and grinned.  "Maybe next time, sweetie, you'd think  twice before befriending my enemies!"

        "Who is that guy?" Tiana asked.

        Donald and Goofy jumped in front of her.  "Stand back, Tiana!"

        "But I--"

        "Go!  Go for cover!" Riku shouted, aiming his Keyblade at Pete.  "Leave the fat clown to us!"

        "Grrr!" Pete scowled.  "I'll make you eat those words, brat!"  

Boss Battle: Pete

HP: 450

Battle Theme: Rowdy Rumble

        Pete tumbled backwards as Donald and Goofy disposed of the rest of his Heartless.  As he struggled to his feet, Riku aimed the Keyblade right for his throat.  "Why do you keep messing with these worlds?"

        "Yeah!" Donald snapped.  "Didn't you learn anything from the last times you messed with us?"

        Pete huffed.  "You still think you guys are all that, eh?  Well, you're lucks gonna run out soon, let me tell you!  Maleficent's got something big planned for you little runts!  Before you know it, you'll be begging for mercy at my hands once the Heartless have taken over the rest of these puny worlds!  Even ol' spiky hair and the red-head won't be able to stop me!"

         "If you think Sora and Kairi are gonna be beaten that easily" Riku laughed, "you're dumber than I thought!"

         Pete laughed wickedly, looking at run down levels Tiana's restaurant is.  "You just keep telling yourself that, kid!  In the meantime, Maleficent and I will be moving on from the dump that this place is!  But I'll leave you guys some Heartless to play with while I'm gone."  With that, Pete stumbled out the door of the building and vanished into a portal of darkness.
        Riku allowed his Keyblade to vanish from his hand as he sighed.  "When will he ever learn?"
        "If he didn't learn the first time" Donald chimed in, "I doubt he would anytime soon."
        Goofy shouted out in shock.  "Oh no!"  The boys looked around the warehouse.  All of the hard work they had done was undone by their battle with the Heartless.  The stacked boxes dumped junk onto the floor again and the dust piles had been scattered everywhere.  "All of that hard work!"
        "Well, I guess we'd better get back to work" Riku said.
        "Don't worry about this" Tiana replied, returning into the room.  "I'll be able to look after myself.  Besides, the party is gonna start at the La Bouff mansion.  I'm sure Big Daddy would like to see you boys get there early."

        Riku nodded.  "Will you be going to the party later?"
        "Of course.  I doubt Lottie would take no for an answer.  You boys don't worry about me and go to the mansion.  It's down the road past the cafe.  Biggest house in town.  Ya can't miss it."  As Tiana left to go back to work, Riku gathered Donald and Goofy together.
        "Pete?  Maleficent?  Xehanort?  With all our enemies acting at once, it's going to be hard to keep our promise to Mr. La Bouff."
        "But Pete said he was leaving some Heartless here" Donald reminded Riku.
        "And since we didn't find that Doctor feller" Goofy added, "he might just try to hurt the folks at the party.  So long as we are tasked by the King to protect these worlds, we've got to help them."
        "And so long as I have the Keyblade" Riku added, looking at the weapon in his hand, " I guess I follow those same rules too.  But we'll have to be extra careful.  I'll contact the castle to see what I should do."  Riku walked away from Donald and Goofy and stood outside the restaurant.  He activated the D-Link on his wrist.  "Mickey?  Sora?  Anyone?"
        After a few seconds of silence, an image appeared in Riku's D-Link.  "Riku?  What's happened?"  King Mickey emerged from the light and looked worriedly at Riku.  "Gosh.  What happened?  Is something wrong?"
       "I'm fine, Mickey.  I just need some advice."
       "Uh, advice?"
       "According to the locals here in this world, Pete and Maleficent have been spotted here.  We took care of Pete, but he's left a ton of Heartless here.  I know we're supposed to be tracking down Xehanort and everything, but something's telling me to stay here to protect the people here so long as there is even a chance the Heartless may attack."
       Mickey laughed.  "Gosh, you sound just like Sora now.  He'd be proud if he heard you say that."
       Riku shrugged.  "Spending time with Donald and Goofy can get that from a guy."
       "Riku, there's nothing wrong with wanting to keep people safe.  Sora knows that better than anyone.  He once disregarded one of my orders just because he wanted to keep a promise to Leon and the others."
       "So, I shouldn't second guess my thoughts on this?"
       "I would direct that question to Sora, but he and Kairi are off in another world.  So let this go through for a minute: What--"
       "Let me guess: What would Sora do?"
       "Ya read my mind Riku" Mickey replied happily.  "Just follow your inner Sora and you should find the answer."  With that, Mickey vanished on Riku's device, prompting Riku to laugh.
       "Sheesh.  Everyone wants me to be like that lazy bum."